A call for offseason Virginia Tech mailbag questions
It’s time to revive the offseason Virginia Tech mailbag. I haven’t done one in a while, so here’s a refresher:
– Email me questions at andy.bitter@roanoke.com or andy.bitter@pilotonline.com. I’d prefer them to be football, since that’s what I cover year-round, but I’m sure, given the time of year, that a basketball question or two will get in there too.
– Be sure to leave your name and hometown so I can credit you with the query.
– I will try to answer them as best I can later this week.
March 4, 2013 - 12:30 AM
What our chances of a win against Alabama and do you know the game time?
From Denville NJ
With the coaching changes and a schedule that most are not happy with (GT on 5 days rest and @ BC + MAI in back to back weeks), in your opinion, what is a realistic W-L goal for this season?
Andy, we made good changes to the coaching staff. One of the other areas that needs work is Special Teams. They used to be really special under Coach Beamer. They are more of a liability now versus being an asset. What is the strategy going forward? Will Coach Beamer still control them, will he turn over the duties to someone else, and will we return to having more starters on special teams? Unless constructive changes are made, the tern Beamerball should be retired.
What is the actual, factual status of Drew Harris ever becoming a player for Virginia Tech?
What are the chances that Virginia Tech will get some of the high school players from Virginia in the next recruiting class?
What are the early predictions for the season for Virginia Tech in 2013?
Do you think, Tech will be able to get a couple of big time linemen, during
this recruiting cycle? We need some SEC linemen to make the running game go.
I enjoy your blog/column very much. A place I would like more emphasis is in the area of up-coming players. We hear a lot when the recruiting class is signed then they red shirt and we hear nothing for a year and they are forgotten (at least by me). How are those “big name” recruits doing?
How about an update on Hokies in the NFL in advance of the draft, particularly Coale and Grimm. Coale has been hurt by untimely injuries and a productive Dallas receiving corps and Grimm was on the ropes last year.
also:
- where are the areas that VT basketball must work on for next year (I know it sounded stupid when I said it) and do we have any help at the point guard position coming in next year?
- an article on Hokies in basketball pros (overseas of course), anybody still in the D league, what about our player who did a stint in Phoenix last year?
- what was VT basketball attendance like this year compared to say the last 9 years?
- How about the strength of ACC bowl games as compared to other leagues.
- What teams in the ACC have consistently met their preseason rankings in football, overacheived, underachieved…
- How will VT’s offense look different this year? Is it back to the bump and grind offense of most of the Frank Beamer era? I call it the always a bridesmaid never a bride offense – the analogy continues but not in your family forum..
Andy: two questions, same “theme”
1) How much individual coaching can the football coaching staff do with players, other than during the Spring Practice between now and August?
2) Same question for Basketball staff, with the basketball players between March and October?
Thank you and GO HOKIES!!
This isn’t a question, but perhaps others can read it and it will generate questions for Andy from the article, re:evolution of college football philosophy & perspective on conditioning.
http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2013/2/28/4033630/auburn-football-2013-gus-malzahn-ellis-johnson?utm_source=sbnation&utm_medium=nextclicks&utm_campaign=articlebottom
#8 VTR, your question on pro status of Hokie basketball players can be answered by a visit to Wikipedia. Zabian Dowdell is the player you’re thinking of, and he’s back in Europe and playing. D-league ball is sometimes a quick ride to the NBA, but players make exponentially more in Europe and still manage to make the transition. Dowdell is currently playing in Russia.
Thanks CR, yeah I couldn’t think of Dowdell’s name. Thought he was going to be the one Hokie in the NBA, but alas we’re back to zero. Still I imagine half a season in the NBA is pretty lucrative.
Dowdell was awesome and completely clutch. Too bad we were lacking in big men when he played. He did the D-League to NBA thing but now is cashing in in Europe.
VTR, Dowdell probably made around $250K or so in his partial NBA season. Having played several years now in Europe, he’s probably making around that per season over there, too. The European leagues don’t play nearly the games that the NBA play. They’re more like playing a college season. The money is good, though, and most of the import players get free housing and some other nice perks, too. Of course, they are subject to the whims of the ownership, which means sometimes paychecks are late, etc. Still, they’re ballin’ twice a week and living in Europe on a six figure salary with a free house, so it’s pretty sweet.
Per this article, Dowdell made $196,372 with the Suns, not counting his back-to-back 10-day contracts.
http://articles.dailypress.com/2011-02-12/sports/dp-spt-dowdell-0213-20110212_1_zabian-dowdell-mickael-pietrus-nba-s-d-league
You may have mentioned this previously but how much time is the new staff allowed to spend with players in the offseason? Is it limited to one on one interactions or could the new o-line/QB coaches have meetings with the entire group?
I’ll ask a question where you’re not required to read minds or the future. How is UVA ranked near the top of the ACC in athletic department revenues but near the bottom in revenues from football and basketball? Do donations count toward this revenue total?